Potentially make-or-break selection posers for Broos for Bafana-Mexico clash

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is confronted with a few selection headaches ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup opening game against tough co-hosts Mexico at Mexico City’s imposing Estadio Azteca on Thursday (9pm SA time).

Most of the team pretty much works itself out, with Broos likely to go with regular starters, including goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams, centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi, right-back Khuliso Mudau, central midfielder Teboho Mokoena and centre-forward Lyle Foster as his established core in his starting line-up.

There is a question mark over defender Aubrey Modiba, who was injured in the first leg at Loftus as Mamelodi Sundowns won the Caf Champions League final against AS FAR, but Broos is hopeful he will be ready to start against ‘El Tri’.

If Modiba does not respond to treatment, it won’t be a crisis because Broos has cover at left-back in the form of Samukele Kabini, who has been around this Bafana combination for a few years, and untested Kaizer Chiefs inclusion Bradley Cross.

The first area where Broos has a tough decision to make is in central defence, and who will partner evergreen Mbekezeli Mbokazi. The coach has Ime Okon, Nkosinathi Sibisi and Olwethu Makhanya to choose from. This is not going to be an easy decision for the 74-year-old Belgian because those candidates all played well when they got opportunities in the preparation matches.

Sibisi had a good 2025-26 season helping Orlando Pirates win the Betway Premiership as a central defensive partner to Lebone Seema after the departure of Mbokazi to Chicago Fire in January. Okon, who plays for Hannover 96 in Bundesliga II in Germany, was impressive in the two friendlies against Panama in March. Makhanya, who turns out for Philadelphia Union in Major League soccer, looked solid against Nicaragua last month.

Makhanya, the 22-year-old prospect who impressed with the junior national teams while at Stellenbosch FC, may get the nod ahead of Sibisi and Okon because of his familiarity with North American conditions and the benefit of having played 90 minutes at the Azteca recently, helping Philadelphia to a 1-1 away draw in a Concacaf Champions Cup last-16 match against Club América in March.

Broos’s selection problems do not end with balancing the defence because there is more in the midfield and among the attackers.

He must find a central defensive midfield partner to Teboho Mokoena between Sundowns’ resurgent Jayden Adams, Portugal-based Sphephelo Sithole and Pirates’ Thalente Mbatha. Here the coach may be tempted to go with Mokoena and Adams because they played well together during the season, most recently in the Champions League final second leg in Morocco. Though Downs went empty-handed domestically, the experience gained by their contingent in such a high-stakes match as the Champions League final is needed here in Mexico.

Possibly the biggest headache is who to start at playmaker, a crucial position for any team, between Relebohile Mofokeng and veteran Themba Zwane.

Over the past few months Mofokeng has not played consistently for the senior national team, but has just come out of a strong campaign where he helped Pirates win the Betway Premiership for the first time in 14 years. His size and ability to handle the physical stakes at international level have been a question mark.

Zwane, a 36-year-old veteran, battled to find form after returning from injury at Mamelodi Sundowns, but his absence was severely felt as Bafana exited in the last 16 in the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in January and February. Broos is a huge fan of the player, who the Belgian overlooked early in his tenure due to his age, but became his go-to creative player later, including when South Africa earned their best position in 24 years, of third, at the Afcon in Ivory Coast in 2024.

Up front, Broos prefers Lyle Foster, but there are options with Iqraam Rayners and Evidence Makgopa. Rayners is back with the national team after a good scoring season with Mamelodi Sundowns. Makgopa did not play consistently for Pirates, but has responded to the challenge whenever called on for Bafana.

Broos has shown himself a coach who puts finding the right combinations and players with the right mentality, and who can do the job based on the opposition, above selecting based on reputation or even form.

“The most important thing, and this is what I try to tell all the players in the group, is we don’t talk about individuals,” the coach said in a press conference in Bafana’s training base in Pachuca, 95km from Mexico City.

“We are strong as a group and not as individuals. If the individual doesn’t work for the group we have a big problem and this is the most important thing. I will not choose a player because of names, but I will choose a team that will work for each other on the pitch.”

Broos said for Bafana to start their World Cup on a positive note, camaraderie is key.

“I need solidarity in the team, players who want to go through the wall. Players who will say, ‘I will go through this wall because behind it there is something I want’.

“If we can have that mentality, and I am sure we can, then we will have a good result at this World Cup. Forget about the [last] Africa Cup of Nations because that was not Bafana Bafana.

“We have to bring back what we had before, the good mentality, the solidarity where everyone is fighting for the same thing and not for himself but the team. We can achieve that and we can do that. We will be tough opponents.”